Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1887-08-17
AU a. lDy ixvn,
nortally wounded and forr women taksa
prisoners

ariod, each feature being pertinent TO tAo
and possessing absorbing tns
crest, especially to tho older settlers =
whose memory tho stirring events OF ~
ong ago are yet green, and to them ~ no.
nantic scenery about Spirit Lake hAG .
history Of deep and startling interest.
Mr.. Aldrich, in the course Of his femarkab
laid:
We have placed conspicuously spon thig
beautiful memorial tablet the nssoss g
Mrs. VIM. L. Church, and her sister, Mn.
Drusilla Swanger, with high tribu's 3
hose heroines. Why We have done tAis J
viii briefly explain. Not many months be-
'ore the massacre the Churches bad ssl1ls4
It Springfield, Mimi, some fifteen mflo0
rom Spirit Lake, and about eight miles
,orth Of the Iowa line.
At the time of the massacre IN IL ..
renee of Mr.. Church to this county, ~
wife was living in their log house with heg
two little boys and her sister. When -
news came to this settlcment-of tour -
Eve families--of the murders q 0pi1it
Lake the people assembled at the hons g
Mr.. Thomas, ono Of the settless, pnd peos
pared to defend themselves. ThiG uoo
what II called double log house quito :
largo building for that locality at thae 6eV.
and standing in the margin OF the 81
groves, not far from tho west branch Of The
Des Moines river. There wcrein the party
Mr.. Thomas. his wife and nve childlsn;
Mrs. Church, sister and two children; Ass.
Strong and two children; Niss Ella Gard
nsr. Jareb Palmer, David Carve. and ysa. ~.
after they assembled, two young ma,
whose names have forgotten, voluntesEsd
to go on foot to Fort Ridgely, seventy-Ave
,v,;I.s and "a hA A<NvNvnnsAAAnk
for aid. Those who were left vsss veil
armed, reasonably provisioned, stout ct
heart, and determined 10 mako the best d.
fense In their power, IL they should b -
sailed. A week had nearly passed when
little Willie Thomas, aged 8, came running
in, exclaiming that ''the boys were COM
ing" who had gone for the soldieB! THIS
was good news, and the people rushed %
the door, forming little group just out
side. Sure enough, two men were seen
coming, dressed like whites, but they veSS
Indians in the clothing Of the men killsd
at Spirit Lake. Just then, the main party
Of the Indians, who were approaching from
another direction, fred . volley from .
dozen places into the group Of men, women
and children near the door. WillN Thomas
was shot through the head and fell tC the
ground. Miss Swanger was shot through
the shoulder, inhicting . desh wound
Thomas was shot through tho left ara
which was broken and bled psof1ssly.
Carver was shot in the body, and for .
time suffered the severest pain. All excepe
the wounded boy rushed into the house
and speedily barricaded the doors and
windows. In fact, the poor boy seemed .
be forgotten at the instant. But e mat
tered little, in tho result. The airing on
LzA -.J - sSnA
and continued for two o. three hours.
Port holes we're made ON the four sides
Of the house By removing the ''chinking'
from between the logs. Through ths0s
the beseiged could plainly $50 the Indians
without exposing themselves. Whsnsvsg
an Indian showed himself he WAS 0red
upon, and 30 they were held u bay. 6sv.
eral times, however, the red devils made
q rush toward the house, which they wish
ed to set ON Are, but each time discrstioa
proved the better part OF valor, and they
fell back. During this time the condttion
OF things in this remote little fcstsese caa
scarcely bs imagined or described. Miss
Swanger and Mr.. Thomas were bleeding
profusely from their wounds, while "
little wounded boy lay shrieking and gfoan.
ing outside. The little fellow lived about
two hours, when death mercifully ended
his sufFerings. At one time the poeg
mother feared her husband would bleod -
death in spite OF everything she could do
while the shrieks aud groans Of the pooa
dying boy could be distinctly heard jus(
outside the door. Miss Swangef as a1ul
bled very freely, but Mrs. Church stu&ed
her handkerchief under her sisters dreea
and 90 stopped the now Of blood. while
Mrs. Thomas bound up her husbands arm
Shn klnnIs~n -hsnh rk4AAvUS~1
would very soon have ended his hfe.
II then happened that Nm,
Church and Miss gardner were IN one ok
the rooms watching, while the men wess
in the other. They now saw N lndiau
lodging behind large oak tree. Whilt
there be kept peering out towards thl
house. No man was handy 70 "draw I
bead" upon him, and 1rs. Church pieksd
up shotgun heavily charged WIN ouek.
shot, and leveled II in that direction. Pres
emily the Indian stuck his hsad out aga1z
farther than before. Mrs. Church sags
| ~ plainly saw large, dark objece b "
side of the tree. which ] knew - b u
head of an Indian, and ct this dischaxg.
| ed the gun. was terribly excited and 1sl
back, and I cannot tell vhsshs. ~ hin
| or not. ! certainly wanted % kin him.'
Miss Gardner, Who was waAchina tAs In.
| dian, averred that she plainly saw him fall
l.. Immediatsly after this sven
the Indians ceased firing and left The plaes
When darkness came .. lest the bsseiest
determined TO start sout toward The neo1
est settlement With an or team and lid
which was the only means left than, h
oxen were yoked; hitched to tho lied, upsl
which were placed such provisions anl
clothing ~ could Be carried win thl
wounded and little children. Ths foslcn
little party, with this poor means e loco
motion, probably started nea1 ~ middl
Of the night, t.aveling very slowly, - ~
ground was covered with snow.
The Churches returned 70 this county
whore they resided until ths spring ok III
year, when they went to Washingt0n tessi
tory, whittier two Of their childrea .
Miss Ewanger (now Mn. 0i0egpie) ~
Michael Swcnsy's remarks vsts ocaane
to narrative @ tne uaP, ~ -. .N.I - -
pr1vatlons: ne sola g - ~ ~ -
posuIe of Caps. sonn.on uo s ~ ~
burkhoider, nsa! wnss ,1osns ,s ~
lnsn colony wnsor - acCes -